Netball NI captain Caroline O’Hanlon faces a huge few months with her club and on the international stage.
The centre has been an integral part of leading her Super League team Manchester Thunder to the top of the table with a prefect nine wins from nine games.
O’Hanlon won the title with the club in 2019.
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She will also skipper the Warriors at the Commonwealth games in Birmingham as Netball NI start the quest for a medal against defending world champions New Zealand.
Due to a lack of court time caused by Covid the Warriors had very limited opportunity over the last two years to get matches and improve on their world ranking but qualified in 11th place for Birmingham.
“There was a lot of uncertainty with Covid. Some of the nations were able to play a game, the restrictions were variable and we weren’t sure what way things were going to go in terms of qualification and the world rankings,” said O’Hanlon.
“It’s a relief (to qualify). We did get some games before Christmas and our focus then was very much on qualification, so I suppose our focus now in the run in it is going to be on performance and building on the platform that we have had from the last world cup.”
“I’m looking forward to it and we can very much focus in as it is in our sights, and it is good to have that just to build towards.”
There has been a big change in personnel on the playing side from the team that travelled to the Gold Coast four years ago.
“There is a good mix and there is plenty of potential within the squad, it certainly freshens it up, that youth and inexperience coming in brings energy as well," she added.
“There is a lot of potential and there is a lot of work to be done we really need to use these months well and be very focused.”
O’Hanlon is one of five Warriors playing in the Super League, but they have been very little opportunity to play internationals.
“That has always been our issue not being able to get enough competitive opportunities," she said.
"We have a number of players playing in the Super League which is obviously brilliant getting that experience week in and week out, training in a different environment and bringing that experience back into the fold.
“Our Premier League in Northern Ireland is back up and running which is obviously great for the home-based players. Ultimately we have to make sure our training is at a high intensity to try and match the game environment as much as we can.
“We hoping Netball NI will be hoping to schedule some match play in the run in because that is vital. We are playing against teams that have very different styles when we play in the Super League and that style is similar to the way we play so it is difficult when you go to competition and are playing Caribbean teams.
"You are playing African teams, you are playing New Zealand and Australia, all these teams that have completely different styles and it’s vital we get exposed to those styles.
“All the top teams are in the Commonwealth Games so this is the pinnacle. The World Cup is the same but with the multi-sport environment it is just a different feel and a different buzz.
“The expectation whenever it is so close to home is also there as well, it’s a brilliant opportunity but we have loads of work to do and we are hoping to build on from where we where at the last Commonwealth Games.”
The Warriors have achieved top eight finishes at the last two Commonwealth Games and O’Hanlon wants to at least match that or better it in Birmingham.
She said: “I don’t think it is pressure because we have a new team but there is certainly an expectation from within the group that we want to be there and progress for us would to be there are above.
“We are small nation, and we have a small pool of players and financial probably one of the weakest teams in the competition in terms of our resources and our opportunities, but we use that as a motivating factor.
“The underdog has suited us for many years we are aware of those restrictions, but we are very much aiming for top eight.”
O’Hanlon - who was the flag bearer for Team NI at the opening ceremony in the Gold Coast four years ago - added: “It was a privilege to even be considered so to personally represent Northern Ireland as a team given the quality and talent within the group, and also for netball to be at the front of that and to get the recognition was brilliant and we took get satisfaction from that and it was lovely.”
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